variolistn.
/vəˈrʌɪəlɪst/, U.S. /vəˈraɪələst/, /ˌvɛriˈoʊləst/ rare. Now historical.
A person who performs or advocates variolation, spec. one opposed to cowpox inoculation (cf. vaccinist n.).
ΚΠ
1799 Gentleman's Mag. Aug. 665 To the publick..I owe that apology for so doing [sc. retaliating], from a consciousness of propriety, which it seems that the Variolists have not had sufficient shame to acknowledge. If ever there existed a public good the Vaccine inoculation is one.
1825 London Med. Repository New Ser. 3 296 The interested efforts of mercenary variolists.
1983 Times Lit. Suppl. 30 Dec. 1450/3 Jenner..was..implacable as the foe of anti-vaccinators and variolists.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1799